Know your market value with insights across roles — from individual contributors to executive pay and overall company compensation trends.
Access a suite of powerful calculators to make data-driven career decisions.
Automate pay cycles, manage job architectures, and ensure pay equity with AI-powered compensation platforms.
Access validated salary benchmarks, labor market trends, and minimum wage data to stay competitive.
Participate in and purchase industry-specific salary surveys to obtain the most accurate, peer-reported pay data.
As of August 01, 2026, the average salary for a Software Specialist in California is $74,950 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $36.
However, a Software Specialist's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:
Compensation Planning
Develop a Job Description
Pay Equity
2026 Compensation Trend
Smart Recruiting
AI-Powered Talent
Software Specialist Salaries by Percentile
| Annual Salary |
Monthly Pay |
Weekly Pay |
Hourly Wage |
|
| 75th Percentile | $81,269 | $6,772 | $1,563 | $39 |
| Average | $74,950 | $6,246 | $1,441 | $36 |
| 25th Percentile | $67,619 | $5,635 | $1,300 | $33 |
eTrigue - San Jose, CA
Kambrian Corporation - La Puente, CA
L3Harris Technologies - Aliso Viejo, CA
L3Harris Technologies - Covina, CA
A Software Specialist's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location and company size can directly affect your earning potential.
Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Software Specialists. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:
For Software Specialist roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 40% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Aerospace & Defense and Biotechnology sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 20% above the average. In contrast, Software Specialist positions in Transportation or Telecom typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Software Specialist as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.
| Industry Sector | Average Annual Salary | Average Hourly Rate | Pay vs.Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aerospace & Defense | $89,940 | $43.0 | 20% |
| Biotechnology | $89,940 | $43.0 | 20% |
| Business Services | $89,940 | $43.0 | 20% |
| Chemicals | $89,940 | $43.0 | 20% |
| Construction | $89,940 | $43.0 | 20% |
Understanding how a Software Specialist's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.
| Annual Salary | Monthly Pay | Weekly Pay | Hourly Wage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 75th Percentile | $81,269 | $6,772 | $1,563 | $39 |
| Average | $74,950 | $6,246 | $1,441 | $36 |
| 25th Percentile | $67,619 | $5,635 | $1,300 | $33 |
Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Software Specialist job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.
L3Harris Technologies Careers
Anaheim, CA
L3Harris Technologies Careers | Anaheim, CA
L3Harris is dedicated to recruiting and developing high-performing talent who are passionate about what they do. Our employees are unified in a shared dedi... more
7 Days Ago
Nuro
San Francisco, CA
Nuro | San Francisco, CA
Job Description. Job Description. Who We Are. Nuro believes self-driving vehicles are the most immediate and profound opportunity for AI to drive positive ... more
3 Days Ago
Kodiak
Mountain View, CA
Kodiak | Mountain View, CA
Job Description. Job Description. Kodiak Robotics, Inc. was founded in 2018 and has become a leader in autonomous ground transportation committed to a safe... more
4 Days Ago
33-0766305 First American Professional Real Estate
Irvine, CA
33-0766305 First American Professional Real Estate | Irvine, CA
Who We AreJoin a team that puts its People First. Since 1889, First American (NYSE :FAF) has held an unwavering belief in its people.They are passionate ab... more
4 Days Ago
Tailored Management
Burlingame, CA
Tailored Management | Burlingame, CA
Title :Software Engineer (Distributed Systems Specialist)Location :RemotePay Rate :$80 / hr on W2Duration :12Months (Extendable)Summary :We are seeking a h... more
7 Days Ago
ClifyX
Newark, CA
ClifyX | Newark, CA
Software Development And Programming Design And Systems Management8years direct experience in software development and/or programming design and systems ma... more
7 Days Ago
Get a Salary Increase
Analyze the market and your qualifications to negotiate your salary with confidence.
Search Job Openings
Search thousands of open positions to find your next opportunity.
Adjust Employee Salary
Individualize employee pay based on unique job requirements and personal qualifications.
Price My Industry Jobs
Get the latest market price for benchmark jobs and jobs in your industry.
Use Salary.com's Cost of Living Calculator to find out what income you need to maintain your standard of living in a different city and how much more or less money you need to budget for basic expenses.
Explore Cost of Living CalculatorSalary.com experts will help you thrive your workplaces.
Salary.com provides salary survey data for thousands of industry Jobs.
Salary.com salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons are derived from both employer job postings and third-party data sources. We also provide multiple percentiles of salary information for your reference, click here to know Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial to Getting Pay Equity Right. With more online, real-time compensation data than any other website, Salary.com helps you determine your exact pay target.
Salary.com's CompAnalyst platform offers:
